Blogs from District of Columbia, United States, North America

The entire world seems to depend on tourism. It has become painfully obvious during this shelter in place around the world. From GZero: Few sectors of the global economy are immune from pandemic-induced economic pain right now, but some find comfort in the fact they will bounce-back in the near or medium-term. The travel business, which has been brought to a standstill as billions of people have been forced to stay home, may not be one of those lucky industries. As social distancing will likely remain a reality until a COVID-19 vaccine is made available – a process that could still take 12-18 months – people's appetite to take foreign holidays is unlikely to bounce back in a big way. And many countries will keep their borders closed to non-residents for months to come, as fears ... read more

From Trivia Genius: "Jack's the nation's favorite guy, everyone wants to back Jack." Those were lyrics from Frank Sinatra's rewrite of his hit song "High Hopes," tweaked to support John F. Kennedy's 1960 Democratic presidential campaign. It's unclear how Sinatra and Kennedy met, but the two were friends for many years before Kennedy made a run at the White House. They had mutual connections in both Hollywood and politics, and Kennedy's sister Pat was married to "Rat Pack" member Peter Lawford. In February 1960, then-Senator Kennedy attended a Rat Pack concert where Sinatra publicly proclaimed him the "next president of the United States." Kennedy's father, Joseph, reportedly encouraged the friendship, hoping that Sinatra's organized crime ties would help his son lock down the union vote. Sinatra often sang his "High Hopes" redux at concerts, and he ... read more

That is the line that will take over for the famous, "dark and stormy night" opening line. Who will get credit for this, or some variation of this line, as we hopefully move years and decades from this pandemic? My guess, is it will get credited to someone more famous than either you or me. But for starters, let's revisit dark and stormy. You can thank the Victorian writer and politician Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, for this now-cliche phrase. In the centuries since Bulwer-Lytton used it to open his 1830 novel "Paul Clifford," it has come to symbolize overwritten, melodramatic prose — a style at which the Victorians excelled, although for them it was the height of fashion. While not necessarily the worst offender, Bulwer-Lytton wrote many such cringe-worthy openers in his ... read more

From 2009, but still important!!! I know we all celebrate Mother's Day when we try to make our Moms and Grandmothers feel extra special. My Mom is now 85, so I know the Mother's Day celebrations remaining can be counted on one or two hands. Both of my Grandmothers lived into their 90s, but are no longer living. I know in my case, I owe them so much, for coming to a strange country, marrying a stranger via arranged marriage, and trying to cope with a new and different world. But did you know that Mother's Day was promoted by a woman named Anna Jarvis? She was born in West Virginia, and on May 12, 1907, two years after he mother died, she held a memorial for her mother and ... read more

I will try a few jokes to entertain you, as well as lighten the mood. I hate being cooped up during the "shelter in place", but at least, I can go to work a few days a week. Thanks to my dear friend, Barry the V: I once knew a grape which could have been served up as the finest cab. sauvignon in all of South Africa, but sadly she landed up in a bottle of mediocre over sugary Manischewitz Shabbat wine.If the virus had come along in earlier times: Bleeding was the accepted treatment for really ill patients for over 100 years, until there was actually a controlled trial. (Thank you Dr. W)As see on the CNN John Travolta was hospitalized for a suspected Coronavirus. But ... read more

So, have you received your "stimulus" check or deposit yet? On tax day, April 15, we received ours, tax free. And I promised to donate to Joe Biden, which a "check" that has Orange man's name on it. Remember in 2008/2009 when Obama proposed the $800 billion stimulus plan to save the economy that the Republicans called a Bailout. They opposed it as Big Government and Deficit spending. Not a single house Republican supported it. Now in 2020 the government is spend $2.3 Trillion dollars to save the economy and they call it a Stimulus! In addition they are asking for another $250 Billion Stimulus money. Meanwhile Trump is cheerleading for and additional $2 Trillion in Stimulus money. It's not a bailout any longer. How things have changed for the Republican party. What happened to No ... read more

Most of the time, we dread April 15th. For those of you outside of the U.S., it is the day our income taxes are due. But this year is a little different, due to the Covid-19 crisis. I went ahead and paid my Federal, but still await a small refund from the state of California. Let me say, I do not mind paying my FAIR share of taxes, but I do expect some reasonable value in return. Why did I pay? Because, I had the money, and I do not want any surprises, should everything change for the worse, again. Who knows? And how are we supposed to pay for the trillion dollar bailouts? Yes, if you "rob Peter to pay Paul", there will be consequences. The most likely outcome: rampant inflation, reminiscent of ... read more

It has been over 30 years since I spent any time at all back east during the winter. This should be rather interesting and different. Not just sitting outside (in the cold rain) for the Niner-Raven game, but just negotiating my way through the turmoil of DC in winter. It is enough of a mess in the White House, and all that noise. So, no visits, as if I was invited anyway. But it might be best to just stay inside and take a deeper and more thorough visit into the Smithsonians. I love them anyway, and the cold weather outside is a great excuse to stay inside. So, I need to pack clothes for the game. And I need to pack for traipsing around DC. And I need clothes that I am comfortable wearing. And ... read more

Despite the orange man sitting in the White House, I still think DC is a cool place to visit. I love the museums, restaurants, and the overall vibe of the city. Putting politics on both sides of the aisle to rest for a few days, let's see what DC can do for you or me. For starters, have you ever seen the Lincoln Book Tower? It is 34 feet tall, and made up of 6800 books. It is located at the Ford's Theater Center for Education and Leadership (511 10th Street, NW). About the closest comparison I can make it is the guitar tower at the Museum of Pop Culture (formerly the EMP) in Seattle. Who was Kilroy? He was the ubiquitous war doodle, a bald-headed, long-nosed man, peering over a wall. He is often accompanied ... read more

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the origina...more history